This invention generally relates to a foldable play yard apparatus, and more particularly to an improved play yard that may be converted to accomplish other baby caregiving functions. One exemplary play yard apparatus in the prior art is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,381,570 to Cheng, which is incorporated herein by reference.
Folding play yards are well known in the prior art and comprise a standard item in parenting and baby caregiving. A conventional play yard enables a baby or toddler to play within a controlled and protected space without requiring continual attention by a responsible adult. Such conventional play yards can be folded into a small space for easy storage and transport and are therefore convenient items for use in high mobility situations.
However, conventional play yards do not address other baby caregiving functions, such as the need to provide adequate nap space for the child and the continual need for ready accessibility to diaper changing supplies, toys, clothing, linens, and other items associated with caring for an infant. Nor do conventional play yards address shielding the infant from sunlight, rain, wind, insects, and other undesirable aspects of the environment in which the play yard is likely to be used. As a result, parents or caretakers in mobility situations must transport other portable baby furniture, or must improvise these functions with whatever furniture is found at hand. For example, the shielding function may be accomplished with an umbrella, a towel, or some other linen. However, such an improvisation is fraught with unknown and unseen perils for the child, such as exposure to collapses, suffocation, the inability to observe the infant, and an arrangement that simply is not effective in providing a shield.
The frequent naps which small children require are often taken on the floor of conventional play yards, which is not designed for comfort in such use. Moreover, many small children sleep best in a smaller, cozier space, which conventional play yards do not provide. Thus, it has also been envisioned to provide conventional play yards with a removable bassinet structure that is generally suspended over a portion of the upper opening of the play yard. Such a bassinet is more suitable for newborn and infant use, due to the fact that a smaller, cozier sleeping space is preferred for such young children. According to the present invention, a storage unit may be fitted in the remaining portion of the upper opening for providing ready access to various supplies and other items for childcare.
The choice for many traveling parents or caretakers often is to transport a portable play yard, a folding bed or the like for naps, and a diaper bag or the like for carrying diaper changing supplies, food, toys, clothes, etc. Unfortunately, because these separate items must be transportable, it is often the situation that at least one of these items is not readily available, or does not provide ready access to the desired childcare item. Clearly, there is a need in the prior art for meeting these disparate apparatus requirements in an integrated, more organized, and still transportable form.